Notes on a Scorecard - March 7, 1995

It is one down and three to go for Richard Mandella in his spectacular bid to become the first trainer to sweep the four biggest races of the Santa Anita meeting. . . .

Dare And Go won the Strub Stakes. . . .

Dare And Go and Best Pal are expected to run in the Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday, Afternoon Deelites in the Santa Anita Derby and Sandpit in the San Juan Capistrano. . . .

Three of them probably will be favored. . . .

“I’m excited about trying it,” Mandella said about the possibility of the Arcadia grand slam. “It’s an unbelievable stable. I don’t know how all of them wound up in the same place at the same time.” . . .

It is not surprising, though, that so many prominent owners have put their faith and money in Mandella. . . .

The 44-year-old son of a blacksmith from Beaumont, Calif., finished second in the nation in purse earnings in 1993, won Breeders’ Cup races that year with Phone Chatter and Kotashaan, and currently is tied for first in the Santa Anita trainer standings with Bob Baffert. . . .

“If you don’t understand what horses are thinking, you’ve got no chance to succeed as a trainer,” he said. “You try to build a winner without driving your horse crazy. They’re as different from each other as people. Some you have to baby, others you have to get tough with.” . . .

Best Pal, the 7-year-old California-bred gelding who ranks third in lifetime money, behind Alysheba and John Henry, is so popular with the public that he receives fan mail, but he isn’t exactly Mr. Nice Guy. . . .

“He’s like an old man who sits in a house and nobody wants to visit him because he’ll snap at you,” Mandella said. “He reminds me of the Al Pacino character in ‘Scent of a Woman.’ He doesn’t enjoy company. I’m lucky that he tolerates me. But he likes carrots and loves to train.” . . .

In contrast is Afternoon Deelites, the most impressive 3-year-old colt seen in Southern California at this stage of his career. . . .

“He’s like a little kid who craves attention,” Mandella said. “He’ll even get a little out of hand once in a while, but come race day he puts his game face on.” . . .

On Saturday, Mandella will saddle two horses--Best Pal and Dare And Go--in the richest race of the meeting, the $1-million Big ‘Cap. . . .

“Sometimes that can create problems, but these two have completely different styles,” Mandella said. “Dare And Go likes to take the lead and Best Pal comes off it.” . . .

Five years ago, Mandella sent out two fillies, front-running Beautiful Melody and late-charging Reluctant Guest, in the Beverly Hills Handicap at Hollywood Park. . . .

Reluctant Guest caught Beautiful Melody at the wire. It remains the only instance in racing on this circuit that stablemates have run a dead heat for a win in a Grade I race. . . .

An Arcadia grand slam would be unique too. . . .

*

Laker center Vlade Divac, who has stepped forward since the injuries to Cedric Ceballos and Eddie Jones, has increased his scoring average every season during his NBA career. He has gone from 8.5 points a game in 1989-90 to 11.2 to 11.3 to 12.4 to 14.2 and now to 15.4. . . .

The Lakers, who didn’t make the playoffs last season, have one more victory than defending champion Houston and one fewer than defending runner-up New York. . . .

John Williams, the former Crenshaw High and LSU star who was released by the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, would be in the middle of a productive NBA career if he hadn’t lost the battle of the bulge. . . .

UCLA’s Ed O’Bannon was robbed when he wasn’t named among the five finalists for the Naismith Award. That oversight makes the Wooden Award even more prestigious this year. . . .

The Bruins’ 22-for-26 free-throw shooting (84.6%) at Louisville bodes well for their chances in the NCAA tournament, where games often are won and lost at the line. . . .

It didn’t surprise me that Oklahoma State’s Randy Rutherford and Bryant (Big Country) Reeves combined for 45 points against Kansas on Sunday. . . .

Crenshaw vs. Santa Ana Mater Dei for the CIF Southern Regional title at The Pond of Anaheim on Saturday would be the best possible basketball matchup in the Southland this week. . . .

The Miami Dolphins are the favorites to sign free agent Eric Green, the Pro Bowl tight end from the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he would be a great acquisition for the Raiders. . . .

Unbeaten British heavyweight Herbie Hide, who opposes Riddick Bowe Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, said, “After this fight, I’ll be able to look in the mirror and say, ‘Herbie, you’re the best in the world.’ ”